Letter from Linus Pauling to Albert Szent-Györgyi. December 11, 1953. Page 1  Larger Images / More Information. 1 p.  View Transcript

<   December  1953     S M T W T F S     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Activity Listings

• AHP writes cheque to: George Miller : amount: $22.00 [Filed under LP Biographical: Box #4.022, Folder #1]
• AHP writes cheque to: Pierre Dalinet Coiffures: amount: $23.00 [Filed under LP Biographical: Box #4.022, Folder #1]
• Letter from LP to Dr. E. J. Holmyard of the publication Endeavour RE: asks for a copy of issue No.25 of the publication Endeavour for Jan. 1947. Goes on to praise the publication as his favorite and then makes a suggestion for the publication to consider including some additional info. in their journal. [Letter of response from Endeavour [Dr. E. J. Holymard] to LP December 17, 1953] [Filed under E: Correspondence 1953, Box #112, Folder #19]
• Letter from LP to Dr. Jeffries Wyman RE: Discusses Dr. Wyman's work and the papers by Prof. Kubo having to do with the magnetic properties of hemerythrian. Mentions that "Roughton" will be visiting Caltech. Goes on to discuss his trip to Europe. Also mentions a matter in which Mme. Joliot-Curie was denied membership into the American Chemical Society.
• Letter from LP to G. Karmaker RE: Thanks him for forwarding the November 3, 1953 letter Karmaker received from Mr. Rasheed. It will aid him in scheduling the trip to India.
• Letter from LP to George Gamow. [In reply to October 22, 1953 letter from Gamow to LP]. [Filed under LP Science: Box 9.001, Folder 1.43]

  December 9, 1953

  Mr. George Gamow

  19 Thoreau Drive

  Bethesda, Maryland

  Dear Gamow:

  I have been interested to see your letter which arrived in Pasadena just about when I was leaving, on a trip to Israel.

  The problem of the determination of sequence of amino-acid residues in the protein molecule through complementariness to the nucleic acid molecule is a very interesting one, Corey and I thought about it in connection with our proposed structure for nucleic acid (Proc. Hat. Acad. Sci. Feb., 1953) which stimulated Watson and Crick, who had a copy of the manuscript, to develop their structure, and I know that Watson and Crick have thought it over too. I feel that a decision has to be made through the consideration of the shapes of the molecules as to where the amino-acid residues fit in. The number of possibilities is, as you point out, about enough to explain the selection uniquely of the residues, in position of about 3.5 Angstrom from one another along the polynucleotide molecule.

  The comment I would make about your number 20 is that I do not see the 12 that you rule out on the basis that they are D forms. The rhomb is on one side of the nucleic acid molecule, and there is a polar axis along the molecule if a polypeptide chain is being built up because the polypeptide chain itself has a polar axis. Hence, all 32 rhombs are to be considered as different. In fact, I think that the number should still be multiplied by two.

  Sincerely yours,

  Linus Pauling:cj

• Letter from LP to Howard Brooks, Unitarian Service Committee, RE: LP gives a final cost assessment for his July 1953 trip to Germany, and states that he will send the requested report in a few days. [In reply to October 26, 1953 letter from Brooks to LP, Related letter from LP to Brooks December 15, 1953]. [Filed under LP Peace: Box 4.001, Folder 1.3]
• Letter from LP to Justice Owen J. Roberts, President, American Philosophical Society, RE: LP suggests that papers in the fields of mathematics and the physical sciences be incorporated into the Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. [Filed under LP Science: 14.011, Folder 11.2].
• Letter from LP to Mrs. Helen Bodman RE: AHP and LP are pleased that she is pleased with the spoon that they sent her from the 18th century. Is glad to hear that she and Mr. Bodman may visit Cambridge. Goes into detail about how Peter lives there and describes his lodging. [Filed under B: Correspondence 1953, Box #37, Folder #20]
• Letter from LP to Mrs. Marjorie Lassettre RE: in response to Mrs. Lassettre's letter, writes that he cannot give her any specific information on the salary range she could expect when working at their lab. Recommends that when she is able to work for them in chromatography, that she should let them know. [Letter from Mrs. Marjorie Lassettre to LP November 18, 1953] [Filed under LP Correspondence: Box #212, Folder #14 (Lassettre, Marjorie)].
• Letter from LP to Prof. F. J. Toole RE: Mentions a recent trip to Israel and an upcoming trip to India. Says that he has spoken with Prof. Zechmeister about lecturing at their summer seminar. The possibility does not look promising. Dr. Hughes and Mr. Nathan are making progress on the x-ray structure work. Would like to give a Priestman Memorial Lecture in 1954 or 1955. [Letter from Prof. F. J. Toole to LP November 10, 1953] [Filed under LP Correspondence: Box #407, Folder #8].
• Letter from LP to Prof. G. V. Raynor RE: writes that he is glad to know about Dr. Naor from Prof. Raynor's letter. He thinks that based on that review it may be possible to give him a fellowship for one year. Also writes that he is putting off his work on MgCu2 due to his interest in the proteins at this time. [Letter from Prof. Raynor to LP October 20, 1953] [Filed under N: Correspondence 1953, Box #287, Folder #20]
• Letter from LP to Ruth Soffer of the Encyclopedia Britannica RE: Encloses permission for them to use his drawing from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in their publication. Also gives specific reference to an image he used in his book The Nature of the Chemical Bond. [Letter from Ruth Soffer November 10, 1953] [Filed under E: Correspondence 1953, Box #112, Folder #19]
• Letter of response from LP to Mr. S. E. Q. Ashley, manager of Major Appliance Lab, General Electric Co. RE: thanks Mr. Ashley for the photograph that he just sent. [Letter to LP December 2, 1953] [Filed under A: Correspondence 1953, Box #12.19]
• Memo from Dan Campbell to LP RE: Outlines Campbell's past work with Richard Lippman, and then suggests that Lippman be given research space at Caltech to work. [Handwritten note: Approved by Div. Ch. and Ch. Eng. 11 Dec. 1953]. [Filed under LP Correspondence: Box #217, Folder #5 (Lippman)].